# Is "The Ruby in the Smoke (Sally Lockhart 1)" by Philip Pullman a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Ruby in the Smoke (Sally Lockhart 1) by Philip Pullman (Oxford University Press, 1985) is identified by: Oxford University Press first, 1985, in hardcover with the OUP first-printing statement on the copyright page and a first-state unclipped dust jacket. UK Oxford University Press true first (1985), preceding the US Alfred A.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Oxford University Press first, 1985, in hardcover with the OUP first-printing statement on the copyright page and a first-state unclipped dust jacket
- An early Pullman that predates His Dark Materials; genuinely scarce in the true first UK hardcover, especially in a fine jacket
- Publisher imprint reads Oxford University Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Philip Pullman |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press |
| Year | 1985 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Children's / illustrated |
| Key point | Oxford University Press first, 1985, in hardcover with the OUP first-printing statement… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Oxford University Press first, 1985, in hardcover with the OUP first-printing statement on the copyright page and a first-state unclipped dust jacket. An early Pullman that predates His Dark Materials; genuinely scarce in the true first UK hardcover, especially in a fine jacket.

## Is this the true first?
UK Oxford University Press true first (1985), preceding the US Alfred A. Knopf edition (1987). An important early collectible Pullman.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The US Knopf edition (1987) is later; book-club printings and reissues differ.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Ruby in the Smoke (Sally Lockhart 1)* by Philip Pullman a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-ruby-in-the-smoke-sally-lockhart-1
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.